BB200 route on the way.

[Asposium]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. People keep asking why have I signed up, I don't have the answer. I just knew I wanted too.

Break the ride into manageable chunks
I set my Garmin (Edge 1030) to auto lap for each 10km, the a data screen shows these lap times
Helps break the ride into 10km sections.

Plan where you might stop for resupply, helps break up the ride again.

Think about what helps keep you going.
I will take my Apple AirPods, then, if I'm not riding with someone I can listen to music; helps at 2am in the morning!
I like to have nice snacks to eat, none of this roadie energy gels rubbish; taking cakes, cheese tea cakes, proper sausages in rolls, fresh orange juice. Stuff i know helps me at 3am in the morning.
I don't drink caffine tea, so am taking proplus, take some at 10pm (usual bedtime), then again at 2am is.
I like to see where I'm going, especially when tired, so my headtorch is like a portable sun. Does mean having to carry a spare battery. But helps me to keep going.
I don't like wet hands (go figure) so will take a spare pair of gloves

Chances are you'll be riding with someone at some point.
Sometimes it's nice to have a chat.

Makes sure you're bike is sorted; brake pads checked and changed if needed.
Chain and gears checked
Extra sealant added to tyres
Gear planned and sorted
Route checked and loaded onto GPS. Check displays correctly
Download ViewRanger to phone and load route there. (handy backup)
Take spare cash
Take spare clothes to keep dry

Expect and plan for it to be wet and cold
if the event is neither then bonus
if both at least you're ready

[Richard G]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. People keep asking why have I signed up, I don't have the answer. I just knew I wanted too.

I've ridden with you a couple of times and I know for a fact you've got the fitness to get through it, probably the mental strength to deal with the rougher bits too.

Just keep it steady (people go off way too hard at the start), and always rubber side down.

Edit - and yeah, the bike checks are the biggy. I'm always amazed by people turning up with worn brakes / chains etc. I generally tend to get the bike fixed up then go for a ride with everything on it to make sure there's nothing obviously wrong.

Which is why I always turn up late and in a panic... but from that point on I rarely have difficulties with anything other than punctures.

[Escape Goat]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. People keep asking why have I signed up, I don't have the answer. I just knew I wanted too.

I've ridden with you a couple of times and I know for a fact you've got the fitness to get through it, probably the mental strength to deal with the rougher bits too.

Cheers mate. I'll just plod on, not really a sprinter, more than happy to spin or push if it's way too much past threshold....

Thanks for the vote of confidence. People keep asking why have I signed up, I don't have the answer. I just knew I wanted too.

Break the ride into manageable chunks
I set my Garmin (Edge 1030) to auto lap for each 10km, the a data screen shows these lap times
Helps break the ride into 10km sections.

I've had to teach myself how to use my Spot this week and also a GPS 64 - I don't think I can figure out how to lap too

Thanks for the vote of confidence. People keep asking why have I signed up, I don't have the answer. I just knew I wanted too.

I will take my Apple AirPods, then, if I'm not riding with someone I can listen to music; helps at 2am in the morning!

Some headphones have made it onto a list with an iPod shuffle! (both of which if they go missing or brake, i'm not sad.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. People keep asking why have I signed up, I don't have the answer. I just knew I wanted too.

so my headtorch is like a portable sun. Does mean having to carry a spare battery. But helps me to keep going.

Half tempted to take a 20,000mah battery pack to make my diablo last longer, but it's just extra to take...Will make this decision later this week.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. People keep asking why have I signed up, I don't have the answer. I just knew I wanted too.

Expect and plan for it to be wet and cold
if the event is neither then bonus
if both at least you're ready

I expect it, and do worry about this. I remember at the WRT Richard was mentioning how cold he was at one point on the last one. But, when you're out in it, it's a little less daunting (not much) than when you're in your house relaxing, warm.

[Richard G]

You'll have plenty of hills to warm up on.

[In Reverse]

Half tempted to take a 20,000mah battery pack to make my diablo last longer, but it's just extra to take...Will make this decision later this week.

Check that it will actually charge your light.

I took an Anker 20,000mah power bank on the Dales Divide this year thinking I could use it to charge my Joystick. I couldn't - turns out the light draws too much current or wattage or something and the power bank has some sort of limiter in it. Upshot was that the light ran out of juice at about 1.30am on the last night when I had intended to ride striaght through. The subsequent sleep and leisurely ride back in daylight probably added about 10 hours to my finish time.

[Alexinthepeaks]

I have the same issue with 20,000 Anker powerpanks - they wont charge my Exposure 6 pack or Diablo.....

[Escape Goat]

Program 2 suggests it has enough for about 12 hours.... But only JUST figured out how to use programs

https://www.flickr.com/gp/168440403@N04/0H21k8

[Alexinthepeaks]

I have the exact same one and can tell you that the time guides are "optimistic". I will be taking a back up!

[Escape Goat]

Thanks for clarifying. I've got a back up ready getting charged now. Only a 400 lumen cateye, but I've used this before the diabolo came.

[Wotsits]

Also if you start selecting a brighter mode for technical sections, even for short periods, then it'll impact the run time..

If you get a support cell it should double the run-time & with the right lead can also be used as a power-bank..

[whitestone]

On the subject of items (not) working:

Check that your pump is capable of inflating your tyres to at least somewhere near your desired pressure. Don't ask me how I know to check that

Electrics: do your cables work and are they the correct type? Getting scrunched up in bags doesn't do cables any good and the internal connections can break. As just discussed - does your backup battery actually charge your devices?

Make sure that you know how everything works and how to use each item. 2am in horizontal rain isn't the time to be learning: "Thank you for purchasing our product, we are confident it will give you many years service. Please download the manual from ..."

Make sure you have the right spares for your bike.

[dlovett]

If you have a Diablo, turn off or out it on to not very sensitive tap and mode wise I use the one that gives 24 in low. It’s bright enough of most things and you can always tap it into high power for the dh bits.

[Asposium]

Lights.

Don't assume a USB battery pack will run the light; test it.

Running out of light will stop the ride.

Why I am taking two large battery packs for my Lupine Pico
Also taking a Lupine Neo headtorch, as backup

Lighting and navigation are the two things that can and will break. Having a backup of both is a good idea.

[Asposium]

And, continuing the USB charging.

Can you USB recharge item X in the rain?

I was running a Garmin Montana 610 hiking GPS off a USB battery pack in last year's BB200
Water got into the USB connector and made the unit malfunction
Swore at my stupidity
Swapped to the Edge 1000 backup and carried on

Edge 1030 has a weather sealed external battery, so should be good for ~40 hours continuous

[Al]

Which part is the descent in Dyfi forest someone posted the YouTube clip of?

Edit- think I found it @190km?

[Bearbonesnorm]

The bit in question is half way through the forest section Al ... give or take.

[Al]

Thanks stu - looks pretty steep. Hope I can keep my eyes open by then!

[redefined_cycles]

Program 2 suggests it has enough for about 12 hours.... But only JUST figured out how to use programs

https://www.flickr.com/gp/168440403@N04/0H21k8

Allen... one thing thats always worked for me (feel free to look away now cos I've never actually done/completed an ITT ) is to actually check the run time in person... So when I bought my Exposure fronts and rears/Bontrager rear/mtbBatts Lumenator, I charged em up full abd then started em going on the setting that I would most likely use most* and then timed em... Happy to report that all of em which were purchased with much research, held up to their reports...

*3rd down from highest for the lumenator and lowest settings for rear lights which last almost 24h (happy to report)...

[Alexinthepeaks]

When i spoke to exposure they said if you do this test, run a fan over them to simulate air flow. They are designed to be run with airflow to cool them.

[Richard G]

Yeah, they'll overheat pretty quickly without a fan on them.

[dlovett]

You'd wanna do this section in the daylight and that's for sure

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LzTHjODRd ... e=youtu.be

Is that this bit?

[In Reverse]

Can't quite tell where you are there Duncan.

It's this: https://www.strava.com/segments/1799566



edit: now i can see the blue line on your pic. It's that.

[dlovett]

Cheers!

[Richard G]

It's the ruts I'd be worried about in the dark. The descent overall isn't too bad apart from that.

[Escape Goat]

The ruts are magnetic for me, in the day, or night...